This is Home
by AndromedaMarine
Summary: Even after six years on the Ancient city Elizabeth Weir hadn’t thought of it as home. Home was where she had somebody who cared about her – home was where her dog was. But she knew she could never return to her earthly home.


**This is Home by AndromedaMarine**

Even after six years on the Ancient city Elizabeth Weir hadn't thought of it as home. Home was where she had somebody who cared about her – home was where her dog was. But she knew she could never return to her earthly home. She finally realized the significance of her dwelling place when she lost him. He had been her friend since the beginning – the friend who was there when an expedition member died, the friend who could understand her.

She hadn't bothered keeping the tears in at his funeral and it was she who accompanied the body to his home. Home. Until then she hadn't given thought to everyone else's interpretation of the small, four-letter word. He'd had a home. His home was Atlantis, not earth. She honored his last wishes – ashes sprinkled from space over Atlantea – and another friend had held her then.

The man who had died hadn't been any ordinary man, no. He had been gentle and caring – even if his demeanor didn't reveal it. _He_ had called Atlantis home. And now, Rodney McKay was gone.

--

After seven years on Atlantis Elizabeth Weir finally started calling it home. This event had been caused by another death – one that hit her hard. Again, she cried at the funeral, having known the man for seven years. Close friends, they had grown to be. This man, too, had called the city of the Ancestors home. Again she realized that the ancient metropolis now bore the name for most, if not all, the inhabitants.

A Lieutenant-Colonel on his way to full bird the man had fallen in battle against the Wraith. To Elizabeth it didn't seem logical or believable. Yet again the other friend had held her. After so many years she finally had a place to call home. It had less of the people she'd grown to love and care about, yes, but it was definitely home. The raw and empty portion of her self that had been occupied by Rodney had just barely healed, and then it was made raw again by the death of Lieutenant-Colonel Evan Lorne.

--

After eight years on Atlantis Elizabeth Weir wanted to leave home. The friend who'd been by her side through the deaths of two men she'd loved and cared for was now completely by her side. She couldn't believe it when she heard news that he'd died too. Too much to handle, she'd thought, and considered right then and there of resigning and leaving her home.

"Incoming wormhole," Chuck announced over the PA system and she left her office, forcing herself to come to terms with the last loss she wanted to bear. The man at the control panel gave the woman a sad gaze as he lowered the shield.

The woman was ready (or so she thought) to take one last look at the body of the man she'd come to love more than anyone else. Unshed tears glistened in her eyes as she descended the steps of the control room. Personnel lowered their heads, knowing what she felt.

Ronon stepped through, then Teyla. The last thing Elizabeth saw before closing her eyes was a sergeant slowly walking though with the head of a stretcher. She broke down and began to weep, there in the gateroom.

What she didn't expect and what shocked her the most was the voice and embrace of the one person she loved – the one who hadn't died off-world, the one who was perfectly alive and not understanding why Elizabeth was in tears.

"Elizabeth? What's wrong?" Colonel John Sheppard asked, kneeling in front of the leader and pulling her close.

The leader's eyes shot open and she saw an unscathed, unhurt and utterly alive John Sheppard. "Oh my God, John! There was word you'd died!" She cried and held the one man she loved, relieved that he was alive but still pained over the loss of Rodney and Evan. "I love you," she whispered oh-so quietly, only so the man who held her heard. They remained together for several minutes; John holding Elizabeth.

--

After nine years on Atlantis Elizabeth Sheppard was home.


End file.
